Consorting by Moonlight
by Lzn64
Summary: Falling for a cleric certainly has its down sides. Vows of chastity, for example. SainxSerra


Author's Note: Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.

Lately, her nights had been been growing increasingly sleepless.

It was a fact that she was aware of, but really, what could she do about it? She knew various remedies for an assortment of maladies, but insomnia was, unfortunately, not among them. None of the traditional methods had any measurable effect; she could hardly concentrate on mundane tasks such as counting sheep, or backwards from one thousand... and none of the suggestions she'd heard from any of her companions had been any more helpful.

It had gotten to the point to where she no longer attempted to combat it; she found it was much more pleasant to spend her time here, outside, than stuck inside a stuffy old tent trying in vain to get to sleep. It was especially pleasant tonight; the moon hung high in the sky, full and bright, illuminating her surroundings as though it were merely late evening, and not the dead of night.

No... it was much more beautiful than the evening. The moon cast a silvery glow over everything, as opposed to the fiery orange the setting sun bathed the world in. She found she much preferred the former. She took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her lungs. There was something about it that exuded a sense of... peacefulness. Yes... that was the word.

"How odd. I'm not usually this poetic..." She spoke aloud to no one in particular. Her lips curved into a small smile. "Hmm... I guess I'm more talented than I thought! I should write some of this down..."

"I, for one, would be_ delighted _to hear some of this mysterious poetry..."

She jumped at the voice, whipping around to face her unexpected companion.

"Sain? How long have you been there!" She exclaimed, her voice taking on a scolding tone. "And what are you doing, awake at this hour?"

"My dear Serra... you wound me!" Sain responded, heaving a melodramatic sigh. He closed his eyes, as though overcome with emotion. Serra rolled her eyes. "How could I not hear of my lady's plight? Her sleepless nights, passed not with slumber, but instead with aimless roaming that can only be expected from such an unfulfilled heart..."

"Oh, please..." Serra snorted, though she couldn't keep the faint grin from her face. "I've changed my mind. _You're_ the one that should be writing poetry..."

"Really?" Sain blinked, and Serra did laugh then, so unexpected was his change in tone. He realized his slip immediately, and laughed along with her, shaking his head. "Forgive me, I've completely ruined the mood, haven't I?"

"Hmm... and which mood, exactly, were you trying so hard to conjure?" Serra raised a brow. "And what do you mean, _unfulfilled heart_?"

"Why, it is no secret..." Sain replied slyly, slipping into his familar flirting tone. Serra eyed him with a skeptical gaze. "Your sleeplessness is, no doubt, an unfortunate side effect of harboring secret... perhaps even forbidden... desires!"

"And what... desires, might those be?" Serra inquired, though she knew, of course, what his answer would be.

"My dear, do you intend to imply that you do not already know?" Sain's eyes sparkled enchantingly, and Serra favored him with a coquettish little smile in return.

"Sain, I'm afraid I have some _dreadful_ news..."

"Oh?" He frowned, though that expression hardly lingered long as she approached him, a particularly rebellious look in her eye. It was a look he found _most_ appealing.

"Mm..." She sighed, as though bearing the weight of some terrible tragedy. He eyed her carefully, unsure of what to make of her sudden demeanor. "You see..." She placed her hands on his shoulders, looking up to gaze into his eyes. She briefly noted that his were rather nice to look at if only they had shone with more sincerity!

"...Yes...?"

She grinned, and pushed him backward. Naturally, unprepared for this sudden assault, he stumbled backward with a most satisfying yelp of surprise, landing rather heavily on his backside in the dew-dampened grass. She stood over him, fixing him with a most severe stare.

"In case you hadn't noticed, _I_ am a holy sister of St. Elimine!" She shook her finger at him in a scolding gesture; he was staring at her with a rather comical expression of surprise. "Even if your silly assumptions were correct and they're _not_ I've taken vows of chastity, and could _never_"

He grabbed her hand in a _quite_ unexpected gesture, pulling her forward, effectively interrupting her lecture. She made a strangled, scandalized sound even as she fell forward with the force of his gesture, losing her footing and careening rather neatly into his arms. His free hand moved swiftly to wrap about her slim body, holding her there against him on the damp grass, beneath the light of the full moon...

"If you obey all the rules..." Sain whispered into her ear, and she blushed a deep shade of crimson at the tone of his voice, "...you miss all the fun."

"_Sain_!" She pulled away from him, her heart beating unnaturally fast. "If someone saw!"

"Who else is going to be awake at this hour?" He grinned, allowing her to pull herself free. "No, my dear... it's just you and me..."

"Really! If I even have half an inkling as to your definition of funand I'm sure I do!"

"You know," Sain noted, his amusement utterly plain on his face. "Most clerics wouldn't even pick up on the implication..."

"You are terrible!" Serra pulled herself to her feet, the color of her face matching that of her hair.

"Hey! Come now, Serra, there's no need to frown at me like that..." Sain adopted an apologetic tone, sitting upright in the grass, and making no move to stand.

"You really are as bad as they all say!"

"I cannot be held responsible for my actions, when I am entranced so by your beauty..." Sain grinned. "Forgive me."

"Hmph..." Serra eyed him reproachfully. "I suppose forgiveness _is_ my business... because, you know, I am a _cleric_. Of Lady Elimine."

"Serra..." Sain pulled himself to his feet, shaking his head. "You're right. My apologies."

"Are you _truly_ sorry...?" Serra raised a brow, though she could not entirely keep her tone from taking on a teasing air.

"With all my heart," Sain confirmed, bowing in a ridiculous, yet somehow still entirely appropriate manner. Serra sniffed.

"Then I forgive you."

"Excellent. Perhaps you could be so kind as to endear your most holy blessings on me in a more tangible fashion say, with a kiss?"

"Sain!" Serra threw her hands up, turning away from him with a flourish. "Forget it!"

"Lady Serra!" Sain called after her, watching her stomp back toward the camp, still wearing a silly grin. Well, he hadn't expected anything less, but how could he pass on such a perfect opportunity?

It _was_ a shame, though...

"Hmm... well... I'll be waiting, if you decide to take my advice..."


End file.
